The Fourteenth of February
by cowbell2011
Summary: Valentine's Day fic. Reposted due to problems with the website.


**A/N: I'm told this wasn't showing up properly and people couldn't read it, so I've posted it awgain. Hope it works now. Valentine's Day fic set season 9.**

* * *

><p>Ruth rolled over in bed and sighed. The 14th February. A day she had despised for as long as she could remember. Throughout her teenage years she was usually the only girl in her school class without a card, causing her untold embarrassment. In her twenties, she had stumbled from one long term loveless relationship to a similarly loveless and sometimes violent long term relationship. And then for the last eight years, this day had only served to remind her that she was living without the man she was head over heels in love with. Harry Pearce. He both infuriated her and made her go weak at the knees in equal measures.<p>

Many times she had tried to tell him how she felt in the hope that he would admit his feelings to her also, but no matter how hard they tried, neither ever managed to get the words out. As she lay in bed, the morning sun warming her bare skin, she made a decision. Today, she would tell Harry how she felt, even if it killed her.

* * *

><p>Harry watched Ruth surreptitiously through the blinds in his office. Her behaviour was puzzling him somewhat and he was intrigued by what was causing it. Since arriving on the grid half an hour earlier she had alternated between fiddling with her necklace and emptying and refilling her stapler. On more than one occasion she had approached his office only to swerve away at the last second and pretend to look for a file in the cabinets just outside his office. Something was bothering her, and he was going to find out what it was. He slid his office door open and poked his head out.<p>

'Ruth, can I have a word?'

She looked positively terrified at his request, which only piqued his interest even more. He watched her closely as she walked towards him and purposely stood in the doorway so that she would have to brush past him to get into his office. He was only human, after all, and he wanted to take any contact he could get. He'd not even made it back to the chair behind his desk when she started babbling.

'I'm sorry Harry I know my work rate today has been, well...less than exemplary. I do have a good reason I promise. If I could just have a moment...'

She trailed off when he placed his hand on her shoulder and leaned down to whisper in her ear.

'Take it easy Ruth, and calm down.'

'C-calm down. Yes. I'll try that.' There was a long pause where neither of them spoke. 'Why do I need to calm down?'

Harry chuckled and motioned for her to join him on the sofa, but she stayed seated where she was. She didn't trust herself to be seated that close to him.

'You seem a bit...on edge today. Is something the matter?'

She was about to start reciting the speech she had prepared that morning when it hit her. He had no idea what day it was. She considered backing out before realising she had come up with this speech for a reason. It didn't matter that he had no idea what day it was. She loved him every day of the year, not just today.

'How long have we known each other Harry?'

The question and apparent change of subject threw him, and it took him a moment to answer.

'Ah, I'd say um...seven and a half years, give or take a few days. Why do you ask?'

Ruth nodded then and began fiddling with the hem of her shirt.

'And um...h-h...' She took a deep breath to steady herself before continuing. 'And...during that time, how long would you say that...you've been in love with...m-me?'

Harry wasn't completely certain, but he thought his mouth might have been hanging open wider than he ever thought possible. He would have been certain that he had misheard if not for the fact that Ruth was blushing profusely and her shirt was now bunched up between her hands.

'Er...erm...well...I think...probably seven years, five months and three weeks, perhaps?'

Ruth looked immensely relieved at this and finally let go of her shirt.

'Good...good. Me too.'

His heart leapt for joy at this news and he moved from the sofa to kneel before Ruth in her chair.

'Ruth...why are you saying this now?'

She looked down to meet his eyes for the first time since she had entered his office and saw nothing but love.

'I figured, we've been avoiding the issue for so long...if I just said it out loud it might...force us into doing something about it. It was a stupid idea I know, forget I said anything.'

She stood up to leave but he caught her by the wrist and pulled her flush against him. The feeling of his warm body against hers sent thrills up and down her spine and it was all she could do to stay standing.

'And now that we've got it out in the open, what do you propose we do about it?'

His face was so close to hers that his breath tickled her cheek as he spoke. Only a few more millimetres and they would be kissing.

'Well...given the date today, I suppose dinner wouldn't be out of the question?'

She hadn't even realised that Harry had been edging her further and further back until she collided with the door. She felt his hand reach slowly past her waist, brushing her skin as he did so. The lock clicked into place and he made sure to touch her again as he brought his hand back and let it fall limply at his side. By now she was breathing heavily, her eyes barely open. When he started to lean in towards her, the nerves really kicked in and she began to babble again.

'I mean, only if you want to of course. No pressure. You've probably got plans haven't you. Silly me. A man like you doesn't...'

He placed a finger on her lips to silence her and she promptly quietened.

'Ruth...shut up and kiss me.'

And that she did, for a long, long time.


End file.
